Switch-frog.



H. F. ROAGH.

SWITCH FROG.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 190B.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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H. F. ROAGH.

SWITCH FROG.

APPLIGATION TILED JULY 16, 1908.

Patented Nov. 17,1908.

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UNITED STATES rarer anion HARRY F. ROAOH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,ASSIGNOR TO CONTINUOUS RAIL & SAFETY SWITCH 00., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SWITCH-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed July 16, 1908. Serial No. 443,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. RoAon, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Switch- .Frogs, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a top plan view of a switch frog constructed in accordancewith my in vention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a frog in which thebase plate and other parts of the frog are covered by a housing; Fig. 3is a side elevational view of the frog shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4i is avertical longitudinal sec tional view of a portion of Fig. 1 takenthrough the longitudinal center of the heel end of the frog; Fig. 5 isan enlarged cross sectional View taken on approximately the line 55 ofFig. 1, said figure also showing the base plate and movable tongueprovided with plates that form a housing as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 isan enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 looking inthe direction of the arrow; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing themovable tongue in an inverted. position.

This invention relates to railway track structures, and particularly tofrogs of that type in which a movable tongue or frogpoint is arranged atthe intersection of the inside rails of two intersecting tracks, such,for example, as a main line and a siding or a crossing.

One object of my present invention is to provide a movable tongue orfrog-point which is constructed of rolled T-rails.

-Another object is to provide a railway track structure of the characterabove referred to in which the track rails that terminate at the heelend of the movable tongue are so constructed that their heads projectover the pivot pin which forms the fulcrum for the movable tongue andthus prevent said pin from moving upwardly out of its socket.

Another object is to provide a track structure of the character referredto having novel means for limiting the lateral movement of the movabletongue and preventing it from rising upwardly from the base plate onwhich it slides.

Another object is to provide a track struc ture of the characterdescribed in which the base plate that the tongue slides on and part ofthe mechanism that actuates and locks the tongue, are incased in ahousing which protects said parts from snow and ice. And still anotherobject of my invention is to provide a movable tongue or frog-pointwhich is mounted in such a manner that it will not tilt or rock when awheel passes onto either of its ends.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafterpointed out.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of mylnvention, 1 designates a fiat metallic base plate which has a member Aconnected to one end thereof by means of fastening devices 2. Thismember A is provided with vertically disposed side walls 3 to which thewebs of the inside rails at and 5 of two tracks are connected by meansof bolts or fastening devices 6 that pass transversely through saidvertical walls and transversely disposed strengthening webs 7 which areformed integral with the walls 3 and the base of the member A, as shownclearly in Figs. 1 and 4.

The member A is provided with a horizontally disposed flange 8 thatrests on the base plate and also projects underneath the base flanges ofthe rails 41 and 5, portions of the base flanges of said rails being cutaway so that the webs of said rails can lie against the vertical sidewalls 3 of the member A and the remaining portions of the flanges canbutt against saidmember so as to prevent the rails from creeping. Thefastening devices 2 securely connect the member A to the base plate but,if desired, said member can be provided with a downwardly projecting lug9, as shown in Fig. 4:, that enters an opening in the base plate so asto absolutely prevent said member from creeping or moving relatively tothe base plate. The base plate is provided adjacent its other end with amember B of substantially the same construction as the member A, and theinside rails a and 5, which form continuations clearly in Fig. 4:,portions of the heads of of the rails 4E and 5, are connected to thever- 1 tical side walls of the member B by fastening devices 6* whichextend transversely through said parts.

A movable tongue or frog-point C is arranged between the members A andB, and means is provided for moving said tongue laterally over the baseplate so that its toe end G will aline with either the rails 45* or 5 soas to form a continuous rail, the heel end C of said tongue beingpivotally connected to the member A so that it will always be inalinement with the rails l and 5. The tongue C herein shown is composedof two pieces 10 and 10 of rolled T-rail that are connected together soas to produce a tapered member. A portion of the inner edge of the headof the piece 10 is cut away slightly so as to produce a shoulder 11adjacent the toe end of the tongue C, and the head and base flange ofthe piece 1O are sheared ofl so as to produce a long sharp pointed wedgethat lies alongside of the piece 10, the point or end of the piece 1Obutting against the shoulder 11 in the head of the piece 10, as shown inFig. 1. Both heads of the pieces 10 and 10 are of normal width at theheel end of the tongue, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, but the inner half ofthe base flange of the piece 10 is sheared off flush with its verticalweb, as shown in Fig. 5 so that the inner edge of the base flange of thepiece 10 can contact with the vertical web of the piece 10-, as shownclearly in Fig. 5. The head of the piece 10 is of normal width at thetoe end of the tongue so that it conforms accurately to the heads of therails 4 and 5 with which it cotiperates, and the webs of both themembers 10 and 10 are continuous from the heel to the toe end of thetongue so that a very strong and rigid structure is produced.

A filler 12 is arranged between the pieces 10 and 10 and fasteningdevices 13 pass transversely through said filler and the webs of thepieces 10 and 10 to securely connect said parts together. The ends ofthe heads of the pieces 10 and 10 at the heel end of the tongue are cutat an angle, as shown in Fig. 1, and the ends of the heads of the railsat and 5 are also cut at an angle so as to produce an approximately V-shaped pocket for receiving the heel end of the movable tongue C. Thefiller 12 projects slightly beyond the ends of the pieces 10 and 10 atthe heel end of the tongue, and said filler is provided with an integraldownwardly projecting pivot pin that enters a socket formed inthemeniber A on the base plate. As shown the rails at and 5 project overthe upper end of said pivot pin 14 and thus prevent said pin from movingupwardly out of its socket.

A plate 15 is connected to the underneath l2? of said members.

side of the heel end of the tongue C, and the base plate 1 is providedwith a stop 16 that projects upwardly into a slot 17 in said plate 15and also into a slot in the base flange of the piece 10 which forms partof the movable tongue so as to relieve the strain on the pivot pin 14and also form an abutment which helps to limit the lateral movement ofthe tongue. The base plate 1 can be provided with any suitable kind of astop 16 but I prefer to form said stop from a metallic lug that isinserted in a hole in the base plate and then upset, as shown clearly inFigs. 4 and The tongue C is provided adjacent its toe end with a plate18 which is connected to the underneath side of the tongue and projectslaterally from each side thereof, and a similar plate 19 is connected tothe underneath side of the tongue C intermediate the plates 15 and 18,as shown in Fig. 8. The plate 18 at the toe end of the tongue slides onthe base plate, and said plate 18 is provided with elongated slots oropenings 20 through which stops 21 on the base plate project so as tolimit the lateral movement of the tongue. The intermediate plate 19 doesnot bear directly on the base plate but is spaced a slight distance awaytherefrom so that only the end portions of the tongue C normally restupon the base plate. Consequently, .the tongue will not tilt or rockwhen a wheel passes onto either end thereof for the tongue has no directbearing on the base plate intermediate its ends. lVhen a wheel travelsover the tongue the intermediate plate 19 will, of course, be forceddown onto the base plate but when the wheel first strikes either end ofsaid tongue the intermediate plate is out of engagement with the baseplate. The intermediate plate 19 is also provided with elongated slotsor openings 22 through which stops 23 on the base plate project, and ifdesired, these stops, and also the stops 21 for the plate 18 at the toeend of the tongue, can be connected to the base plate in the same mannerthat the stop 16 for the plate 15 is connected to said base plate.

A pair of members 24: are mounted on the plate 18 at each side of thetongue C, and.

each of said members has a horizontally disposed flange 25 that isconnected to the plate 18 by countersunk fastening devices 26. Thishorizontally disposed flange 25 pro jectsover the base flange of thetongue C and clamps it securely upon the base plate 1, and at the inneredge of the horizontal flange 25 is a vertical flange 27 that liesagainst the outside face of the vertical web of the tongue C, as shownin Fig. 6, both of the members 24 being secured to the tongue byfastening devices 28 that pass transversely through the tongue and thevertical flanges Each of the members 24 is also provided with a pair ofparallel flanges 29 that are formed integral with the horizontal flange25 and the vertical flange 27 so as to produce a rigid structure. Ifdesired, the upper edges of said flanges 29 can be inclined, as shown inFig. 6, and a cross web 30 can be arranged between the outer ends ofsaid flanges, said cross web being formed integral with said flanges andthe horizontal flange 25. The horizontal flanges of the members 24 areprovided with elongated slots or openings that aline with the openings20 in the plate 18, and the openings in both the plate 18 and thehorizontal flanges of the members 2 1 are enlarged intermediate theirends, as shown in Fig. 8, to receive the heads of the stops 21 on thebase plate when the parts of the frog are being assembled. Said stopsare provided with heads 21 that project laterally from all sides of theshanks of the stops and when the tongue is in operative position saidheads will project laterally beyond the side edges of the narrowportions of the slots in the horizontal flanges of the members 24-, asshown in Fig. 7, and thus absolutely prevent the tongue C from movingupwardly from the base plate. The heads 21 on the stops 21 also projectlaterally beyond the ends of the slots in the members 2%, as shown inFig. 6, when the tongue is in either of its extreme positions.Preferably, the slots 20 and 22 in the plates 18 and 19, respectively,are so proportioned that the shanks of the stops on the base plate 1which project through said slots will not contact with the vertical endwalls of said slots when the movable tongue is in either of its extremepositions, as shown in Fig. 6. That is to say, the heads 21 of the stopsinstead of the shanks of said stops act as abutments for limiting themovements of the tongue, the slots in the plates 18 and 19 being soformed that if dirt or any other foreign matter should collect in theends of the slots it would not prevent the tongue from moving to itsextreme positions. As shown in Fig. 1, the vertical flange 27 of each ofthe members 2st is provided with a thickened portion 27 in which arecess is formed for receiving a lock ing device 27 that is pivotallyconnected to the base plate, only one of said locking devices beingshown in Fig. 1. This locking device 27* is operated by means of a baror link 27, and a short link 27 is connected to the locking device 27and to the member 24 for imparting movement to the tongue. Preferably,the member 2st is provided with a horizontally disposed flange 27 underwhich the inner end of the short link 27 is arranged.

A pairiof members 24? of similar construction to the members 24 areconnected to the upper side of the intermediate plate 19 and to themovable tongue but the slots in the horizontal flanges of the members 24through which the stops 23 project are not widened or enlargedinteri'nediate their ends for the stops 23 are not provided with headsthat project laterally beyond the side edges of said slots, the stops 23merely having heads that project beyond the ends of the slots in themembers 24 when the movable tongue is in either of its extremepositions.

I prefer to provide the members 24 and 24 with covers for preventingsnow, ice, and other foreign matter from getting into the slots in saidmembers through which the stops on the base plate project, and in theconstruction herein shown, each of the members 2 1 and 2 1 is providedwith a metal plate 31 that rests upon the upper edges of the parallelflanges 29 of said members so as to form a closed housing in which thestops on the base plate lie. The metal plate 31 is provided at its inneredge with a tongue 32 that projects into a slot in the vertical flange27, and the outer end of said plate 31 is provided with an openingthrough which a bolt 33 passes, as shown in Fig. (5, nuts 32L beingmounted on said bolt on each side of the plate 31 so as to securely lockit in position.

If desired, the entire base plate, the 1nem bers 24 and 24 which projectlaterally from the movable tongue, and also part of the mechanism thatactuates and locks said tongue can be covered by a housing so as toprotect said parts from snow and ice. I have illustrated such aconstruction in Figs. 2 and 5, and referring to said figures, it will beseen that the base plate is provided with two metal plates 35 thatproject upwardly from the side edges of the base plate and then extendinwardly toward the movable tongue C. Plates 36 project laterally fromeach side of said tongue over the inwardly extending portions of theplates 35 so as to close the opening between the edges of the plates 35and permit the tongue to move laterally over the base plate. The housingwhich these plates 35 and 36 form absolutely prevents snow and ice fromcollecting on the base plate and thus interfering with the movement ofthe tongue. The locking device 27 on the base plate which enters a notchin the toe end of the tongue to lock it in position, and also the innerend of the operating rod 27 and link 27 which form part of the actuatingmechanism for the tongue, arearranged inside of said housing so thatthese parts are protected from snow and ice.

Vhile I have herein shown a movable tongue 0 constructed of pieces ofT-rail, I wish it to be clearly understood that the particularconstruction of the tongue is immaterial so far as the other features ofmy invention are concerned, and that a one-piece tongue or cast tonguecould be provided with a pivot pin, bearing plates, stop-incasing means,and the various other features herein described that do not relate tothe construction of the tongue per se, Without departing from the spiritof my invention.

I Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is:

1. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising amovable tongue, a pivot pin rigidly connected to said tongue, a socketmember for receiving said pin, and track rails having portions of theirheads projecting over said pivot pin to retain it in position;substantially as described.

2. A railway track structure of the character described,comprising amovable tongue, a pivot pin rigidly connected to said tongue andprojecting into a socket in a stationary member, and means projectingover the up per end of said pin to prevent it from moving out of itssocket; substantially as described.

3. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising amovable tongue having a pivot pin that projects into a socket in astationary member, and rails terminating at the heel end of said tongueand having portions of their heads projecting over the upper end of saidpivot pin; substantially as described.

t. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising amovable tongue provided at its heel end with a pivot pin, a stationarymember provided with a socket for receiving said pin, and track railsconnected to said stationary member and having portions of their headsprojecting over said pivot pin; substantially as described.

5. A railway track structure of the char acter described, comprising abase plate, a member mounted on said base plate and provided withvertically disposed walls, track rails having their vertical webscontacting with said walls, fastening devices passing through the wallsof said member and the webs of said rails to connect them together, anda movable tongue having a pivot pin that is arranged underneath portionsof the heads of said track rails: substantially as described.

6. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a member mounted on said base plate and provided withvertical walls and a horizontally disposed flange, track rails restingon said flange and having their vertical webs lying against the verticalwalls on said member, and fastening devices passing through said websand walls to connect said parts together; substantially as described.

7. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a

member mounted on said base plate and provided with vertically disposedwalls and ribs arranged between and integrally connected to said walls,and track rails connected to said member by means of fastening deviceswhich extend transversely through the webs of the rails and the verticalwalls of said member; substantially as described.

8. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a member mounted on said base plate and provided with ahorizontally disposed flange that is connected to the base plate byfastening devices, a downwardly projecting lug on said flange whichenters an opening in the base plate, and track rails secured to saidmember; substantially as described.

9. A railway track structure of the character described, provided with amovable tongue which consists of two pieces of T-rail, one of saidpieces having its head and base flange sheared off so as to produce awedgeshaped member and the other piece having a portion of its head cutaway to receive said wedge-shaped member, a filler interposed betweensaid pieces and extending for nearly the entire length of said tongue,and fastening devices passing transversely through said parts;substantially as described.

10. A railway track structure of the char acter described, provided witha movable ton ue which consists of two members ar- ID ranged side byside, a filler interposed between said members and having a pivot pinrigidly connected thereto, fastening devices extending through saidmembers and filler to connect said parts together, a stationary memberhaving a socket for receiving said pin, and means projecting over thetop of said pin to hold it in said socket; substantially as described.

11. A railway track structure of the character described, provided witha movable tongue which consists of two members arranged side by side anda filler interposed between said member and projecting beyond the endsof same, a pivot pin formed integral with the projecting portion of saidfiller and depending therefrom, and a stationary member having a socketfor receiving said pivot pin; substantially as described.

12. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate and a movable tongue slidingly mounted on said base plate andhaving only its end portions normally contacting with the base plate;substantially as described.

13. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, and a movable tongue mounted on said base plate in such amanner that it will not tilt or rock when a wheel passes onto either endof said tongue; substantially as described.

14. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate, and bearings onthe end portions of said tongue which normally rest on the base plate,the intermediate portion of the tongue being normally spaced away fromthe base plate; substantially as described.

g 15. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue provided adjacent its ends with bearingswhich rest on the base plate, and an intermediate bearing on the tonguewhich is normally spaced away from the base plate; substantially asdescribed.

16. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on the base plate and provided withbearings that project laterally from opposite sides of the tongue, andstops on the base plate projecting into openings in saidbearings;substantially as described.

17. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a tongue mounted on said base plate and provided with abearing plate that projects laterally from opposite sides of the tongue,said bearing plate being provided with elongated slots or openings, andstops on the base plate arranged in said openings and provided withheads that project laterally beyond the side edges of said openings;substantially as described.

l8. Arailway track structure of the character described, a base plate, amovable tongue mounted on said base plate, a bearing plate rigidlyconnected to the underneath side of said tongue and reinforcing projecting laterally from the sides thereof, and members arranged on each sideof the tongue in engagement therewith and connected to said bearingplate; substantially as described.

19. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate, a bearing plateprojecting laterally from the opposite sides of said tongue and rigidlyconnected thereto, and members mounted on said bearing plate on eachside of the tongue and connected to said plate and to the sides orvertical web of the tongue to reinforce and strengthen same;substantially as described.

20. A railway track structure of the char acter described, comprising abase plate, a tongue mounted on said base plate, a bearing plate rigidlyconnected to the underneath side of said tongue and projecting laterallyfrom the sides thereof, and reinforcing members connected to saidbearing plate and provided with vertically disposed flanges that areconnected to the tongue by fastening devices; substantially asdescribed.

21. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate and provided atits lower edge with laterally projecting flanges, a bearing platearranged underneath the tongue and connected to said flanges, membersmounted on said bearing plate and resting on the laterally projectingflanges of the tongue, and vertically disposed flanges on said membersthat are connected to the tongue by means of fastening devices;substantially as described.

92. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate, laterallyprojecting members connected to said tongue and provided with elongatedslots or openings, and stops on the base plate having heads that projectbeyond the ends of said openings when the tongue is in either of itsextreme positions; substantially as described.

23. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a tongue mounted on said base plate and provided withlaterally projecting members having elongated slots or openings, stopson the base plate which project into said open ings, and means forpreventing said openings from becoming clogged; substantially asdescribed.

24. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a tongue mounted on said base plate and provided withlaterally projecting members having elongated slots or openings, stopson the base plate which project into said openings, and housingsextending over said openings; substantially as described.

25. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate and providedwith laterally projecting members having horizontal flanges in whichslots or openings are formed, stops on the base plate that project intosaid openings, walls on said members surrounding said openings, andcovers extending over said walls to prevent the openings from becomingclogged; substantially as described.

26. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate, and a laterallyprojecting member connected to each side of said tongue, each of saidmembers consisting of a horizontally disposed flange provided with anopening that receives a stop on the base plate, a vertical flange thatis connected to the tongue, parallel vertical flanges arranged on eitherside of the opening in the horizontal flange, and a cover mounted uponthe upper edges of said parallel flanges; substantially as described.

27. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a

movable tongue mounted on said base plate, and provided with a slot, anda stop on the stops for limiting the lateral movement of base plate thatprojects into said slot; subsaid tongue, and a housing consisting ofplates that are connected to the base plate, and cooperating plates thatproject laterally from the tongue; substantially as described.

28. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on said base plate, stops forlimiting the lateral movement of said tongue, means for locking thetongue in its adjusted positions, and a housing which prevents saidstops and said locking means from becoming clogged with snow or ice;substantially as described.

29. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on the base plate and provided withlaterally projecting mem bers having slots or openings which receivestops on the base plate, means on the base plate for locking saidtongue, a housing on the base plate provided with an opening to providefor the lateral movement of the tongue, and laterally projecting plateson the tongue for covering said opening; substantially as described.

30. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a member arranged on said base plate and provided with asocket, a movable tongue provided with a pivot that extends into saidsocket, a bearing plate connected to the underneath side ofthe heel endof the tongue stantially as described.

31. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on the base plate, a memberconnected to the toe end of the tongue and projecting laterallytherefrom, said member being provided with a vertically disposed flangein which a recess is formed, a locking device mounted on the base plateand adapted to enter said recess, means for actuating said lockingdevice, and a link connected to said locking device and to a flange onsaid member; substantially as described.

32. A railway track structure of the character described, comprising abase plate, a movable tongue mounted on the base plate and provided withlaterally projecting bearings having slots formed therein, stops on thebase plate which project through said slots but do not contact with theend walls thereof, and heads on said stops that cooperate with abutmentson said bearings; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affiX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this eighth day of July 1908.

HARRY F. ROAGH.

Witnesses WVELLs L. CHURcH, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

